Turkey Hunting

New York
Hunting

General Information

You may buy only one turkey permit per year.

If you have filled your bag limit, you may call turkeys for another hunter, but you may not carry a bow, crossbow, or firearm. You may call turkeys to aid another hunter only if you are licensed to hunt wild turkey in New York and have a valid turkey permit.

If you have taken a turkey that is unfit for consumption, authorized DEC staff may issue a special permit to take another. You will have to surrender the carcass. Call your wildlife or law enforcement office (see Important Numbers).

Manner of Taking

You must carry your hunting license and turkey permit while you hunt.

You may hunt with a bow or crossbow; however, crossbows may not be used to take wild turkeys in Westchester or Suffolk counties.

You may hunt with a shotgun or handgun only when using shot no larger than #2 and no smaller than #8.

You may not take a turkey with a rifle or air gun, or with a handgun firing a bullet.

You may use a muzzleloading shotgun.

You may not hunt with a dog during the spring season. You may hunt with a dog during the fall season.

You may not use bait to hunt turkey.

You may not use an electronic calling or amplifying device to locate or hunt turkeys during the open season.

You may use decoys.

A scope of any type is allowed.

Tagging and Possession

Immediately after taking a wild turkey, you must fill out the appropriate carcass tag in ink, mark or cut out the date and month of kill, sign the back, and attach it to the carcass.

The carcass tag must stay attached to the turkey carcass until it is prepared for eating.

You may give your turkey to another person.

You must attach a tag with the following information to the turkey carcass:

Your name

Your address

Your hunting license number

Turkey permit carcass tag number

The recipient’s name

The recipient’s address

You must report your harvest within 7 days via phone (1-866-GAMERPT), online (www.dec.ny.gov) or through our HuntFishNY mobile app (see Game Harvest Reporting).

Turkey Hunters Needed for Grouse Survey

DEC is seeking spring turkey hunters to participate in a survey to help monitor grouse populations.

For more information:

E-mail us at wildlife@dec.ny.gov and type “Grouse Drumming Survey” in the subject line, or

The National Wild Turkey Federation is offering a $200 reward to anyone giving information and testimony leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone illegally hunting or killing a wild turkey in New York State.